New York Minute
by dayglo1
Summary: 7th in my POV series. This one's Toby.


Title: New York Minute  
  
Summary: But men get lost sometimes/ As years unfold/ One day he crossed some line/ And he was too much in this world/ But I guess it doesn't matter anymore   
  
Disclaimer: Not mine, song's not mine either. Don't sue, I have no money.  
  
Author's Note: 7th in my POV series. This one's Toby.  
  
Archive: Sure, just tell me.  
  
Feedback: Makes me very, very happy.  
  
Harry got up   
Dressed all in black   
Went down to the station   
And he never came back   
They found his clothing   
Scattered somewhere down the track   
And he won't be down on Wall Street   
in the morning   
He had a home   
The love of a girl   
But men get lost sometimes   
As years unfold   
One day he crossed some line   
And he was too much in this world   
But I guess it doesn't matter anymore   
  
I quietly open the door to the apartment, trying not to make a sound. It's 1 a.m. and Andi's probably asleep. Nope. She's sitting on the couch and she looks xxxxed. Uh-oh.  
  
  
"Hey, what are you doing still up?", I ask, dreading the answer.  
  
"Well, since it's our anniversary, I was waiting up for you, but I'm no longer in a celebratory mood", she says, standing up and grabbing her coat. It's then that I notice that she's not wearing pajamas, but jeans and a sweater.  
  
Crap.   
  
  
  
In a New York Minute   
Everything can change   
  
  
  
I follow her to the door, trying to keep this from elevating to what it usually does. "Andi, I'm sorry, with the election coming up so soon you know I'm working a lot of hours, I just forgot…"  
  
She cuts me off, "yeah, well I'm getting tired of always being forgotten", she snaps, walking past me to the door and leaving me standing dumbfounded in the living room as the reverberating sound of the door slamming shut rings around me.  
  
  
In a New York Minute   
Things can get pretty strange   
  
  
  
An hour later, I'm standing in front of a dark bar, looking at it doubtfully. It's pretty bad looking, but it's one of the few still open and I haven't been able to find Andi anywhere else. Sure enough, as I enter I spot her sitting at the bar with several glasses spread around her.  
  
  
In a New York Minute   
Everything can change   
  
  
  
She looks up when I approach her. "You always do this", she slurs, "you xxxx me off, I leave and you come find me to bring me home, we pretend it never happened and keep on going until the next time."  
  
I just stand there, looking at my shoes. I don't know what to say, everything she said was sadly accurate.  
  
She sighs, "lets go."  
  
  
In a New York Minute   
  
  
  
I open the door for Andi and she stumbles in. "You get the couch tonight", she informs me as she heads towards the bedroom.  
  
  
  
Lying here in the darkness   
I hear the sirens wail   
Somebody going to emergency   
Somebody's going to jail   
  
  
  
A couple of hours later, I'm lying on the couch, trying to sleep. It's not working. I faintly hear a siren far off as I think about Andi and I and I wonder how in the world things got to be this bad. I'm scared to death of losing her, but I don't know what to do to stop it.  
  
  
If you find somebody to love in this world   
You better hang on tooth and nail   
The wolf is always at the door   
  
  
  
Over the next couple of weeks, I do my best to make amends. I manage to make it home in time for a late dinner most nights and I'm always home before 11 p.m. I even give her a necklace for a belated anniversary present and take her out to dinner.  
  
  
  
In a New York Minute   
Everything can change   
  
  
  
Then one night I'm swamped with work. I look at the clock and sigh, there's no way I'm getting home before midnight tonight. I pick up the phone and call Andi.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Andi, look, I'm really sorry, but-"  
  
"You have to stay late tonight", she finishes for me.  
  
"Yeah, look-"  
  
"It's fine", she cuts in, slamming down the phone. I set my phone down, letting out a sigh.  
  
  
In a New York Minute   
Things can get a little strange   
  
  
  
The next morning, Andi ignores me as she moves around the kitchen, making breakfast.  
  
I try to explain again, "Andi-"  
  
  
In a New York Minute   
Everything can change   
  
  
  
She turns on me, eyes ablaze, "NO, no, I don't want to hear it anymore! I'm tired of your excuses and apologies! This is where it stops!"  
  
  
In a New York Minute   
  
  
  
I stand, not knowing what to say. So instead, I grab my briefcase and leave the house without a word.  
  
  
  
And in these days   
When darkness falls early   
And people rush home   
To the ones they love   
You better take a fool's advice   
And take care of your own   
One day they're here;   
Next day they're gone   
  
  
  
I come home from work early that day, hoping to be able to try to talk to Andi one more time. Instead, I find that all of her stuff has been cleared out. She left a note: "I'm sorry, I can't live like this anymore. I'll call when my head's cleared a little. -Andi" Underneath the note are the divorce papers.  
  
  
  
I pulled my coat around my shoulders   
And took a walk down through the park   
The leaves were falling around me   
The groaning city in the gathering dark   
On some solitary rock   
A desperate lover left his mark,   
"Baby, I've changed. Please come back."   
  
  
  
I call everybody I can think of, but no one knows where she is. Finally giving up, I pull on my coat and take a walk. This can't be it, there has to be something I can do, I think. The election's in two days, I know he's going to lose, surely Andi can stand two more days. Maybe I could give up politics, it's not like any of my candidates ever win. I could get a teaching job or something, that would make things easier. There has to be something I can do to stop her from leaving forever.  
  
  
  
What the head makes cloudy   
The heart makes very clear   
The days were so much brighter   
In the time when she was here   
But I know there's somebody somewhere   
Make these dark clouds disappear   
Until that day, I have to believe   
I believe, I believe   
  
  
  
As I return back to my apartment, I make up my mind, I'll leave politics. It's the only solution I can see. When I open the door, I see Andi's waiting for me. She gives me a small smile, "I was hoping we could talk."  
  
"Of course, can I go first?", I ask. She nods. "I've been thinking and I've decided to quit politics." Her head snaps up and she looks at me. I hold up my hand, "wait, let me finish it's the only thing I can think of to change the way things are. I don't want you to leave", I plead.  
  
  
  
In a New York Minute   
Everything can change   
  
  
  
Andi gives me a sad smile, "Toby you could no more quit politics than I could. It's not work that's the real problem, it's us. We just don't work, I'm sorry. But I'll always love you." She gives me a kiss on the cheek then leaves.  
  
  
In a New York Minute   
You can get out of the rain   
  
  
  
That's it, she's gone, it's over and I don't know what to do. I sit in the living room, drinking my Scotch. Then I pick up the phone and call the one person I could always rely on.  
  
  
In a New York Minute   
Everything can change   
  
  
  
"Hello, CJ Cregg's office"  
  
  
In a New York Minute 


End file.
